To lose what means the most
by emerald-rainbow
Summary: Rika's an ordinary girl, with an ordinary life.....or at least thats what she thinks, but with a dead mother, a missing chunk of memories and a lost love, could there be more to her than meets the eye? KyoxKagura, YukixTohru OCX? Hiatus
1. Chapter 1

A high ringing invaded the deep sleep I had been in moments before. Reaching out, I clicked off the alarm clock groaning with exhaustion. A new school, a new life, and damn, I needed a new bed. I was sleeping on a layer of sponge, also known as a matress. My father and I had moved into the two bedroomed, two bathroomed, sittting room and kitchen filled apartment two days before. And, I still was living out of a suitcase, having to leave all my stuff at our old home.

Tumbling from the so called bed, I stumbled to the bathroom, bleary eyed with sleep. Pushing my long blonde hair from my face, I rubbed my amber coloured eyes. A few minutes later I was dressed and freshened up. In my room, sitting on my dresser was a photo of a fair haired woman with similar eyes to mine. I blew a kiss to it, murmuring under my breath,

"Cya later mom, wish me luck".

My father sat in the kitchen, reading his newspaper, and flicking through some file at the same time. He was in a high positoin in some corporation, but since work was a tender topic between us, we rarely spoke of it to each other.

"Morning, you all set?" He said softly, smiling as he closed the file.

"Yuh-huh" I nodded, reaching for a bowl to pour my cereal. I ate quickly, while my father told me what I was to do upon reaching the new school.

"...And, then you're teaher will introduce you to the class...Rika?" The uncertain pause in his sentance made me glance up.

I didn't reply but just looked at him, chewing.

"I heard you again last night..." He finally said, and my face flushed from shame. Ever since I was around the age of thirteen, I was liable to get nightmares. Horiffic flashs of some strange experience. My father and Mother had done everything they could to help, but none of it worked. Last night, I'd been crying again, which was a true embarrassment, since I was a few months away from turning eight-teen.

"I'm fine dad, don't worry" I managed to say after a few moments.

"I think you should dump those drawings" He said gaining a little confidence. My face flushed again, but now in anger.

"Never, they mean something, and I'm not ever, ever dumping them!" I shouted, and grabbing my school bag, I ran from our home. I had just slipped into the elevator when I heard my name.

"RIKA" but I ignored it, closing my eyes against the glassy tears. Upon reaching the school, the onflow of nervousness began. Again, I felt that I wouldn't be going through this if I had my mother near. Then again, I wouldn't have to face anything alone if my mother was around.

The bell sounded out as I was shown my way to class by some guy who announced his name as the Student Body President. I just nodded and followed him.

"Okay, Homeroom, I'm sure you can make you're way from here right?" He asked, giving me a funny look. I nodded and slowly entered the class.

So much for being okay, I thought as the butterflies increased.


	2. Chapter 2

The lunch bell tolled abround the school, and there was a scraping of chairs as people went outside and to the cafeteria. One girl remained in her seat, staring wistfully at her book as if it would somehow do the walking, eating and socialising for her. She sighed pushing back her chair and beginning to stuff her books in her bag, she didn't notice a blonde haired girl approach.

"So, have you a crush on carrot top or something?" She said, startling the other.

"What? A crush? Carrot top?" Rika replied, stunned by the girl's outwardness.

"Sorry, I'm Uo, and carrot top is Kyo Sohma, the guy you stared at through the whole of this class" Uo replied, smiling.

"No...I don't have a crush, I wasn't staring, and I'm Rika" She had stared to get indignant, but realised this was the first person that had spoken to her all day and lost the sharp edge to her voice.

"Well, whatever you say, but the guys a hothead, don't let him catch you" She grinned in a way that implied she thought she was helping her, and felt the anger rise a little again. About to retort with a sharp phrase, she was cut off.

"Hey Uo, who's this?" A long brown haired girl had come up, her voice indicating real interest and the extension of the gift of friendship.

"She's Rika, Rika this is Tohru Honda, and that's Hana" Uo spoke pointing first to Tohru and another dark haired girl that had joined Tohru.

"Pleased to meet you" They both said, Hana's voice a low melodious one, the type that could trap you into listening to her.

Together, the four girls quickly overcame the akwardness of first introductions, and by the end of the lunch hour, were on the fast track to becoming friends.

Sitting beneath a large tree outside the school, were four boys, very different boys, from the same family. They conversed about the mornings classes before moving onto the reason they were drawn together on this particular day. As you probably know, school gossip travels faster than the speed of light, and a new kid, even faster, so it's easy to guess the topic of conversation, but unlike their class mates, their's had a different edge to it.

"Do you think she remembers?" The grey haired one finally asked, his voice low.

"No Hatori does his work pretty well" The young blonde , Momiji said softly, a look of knowing deep within his eyes.

"What does it matter if she remembers, that damn Akito will lose the plot if he finds out" The ginger haired boy finally spoke, his words full of rage.

"Yuki, no I don't think she remembers, she would have approached us if she did, and Kyo, chill down you cat, anger isn't going to help us at all" The final boy was the strangest of the lot, with black and white hair, and the name of Hatsuharu.

"Akito doesn't have to know you stupid cat" Yuki said, annoyance on his face, with just the hint of fear.

"Shut it you damn rat" Kyo replied, lurching forward as if to start a fight.

"YUKI, KYO" Tohru's voice rang out as she ran towards them, her face beaming.

"Hiya" Kyo said, losing his anger in an instant.

"Good Afternoon Miss-Honda" Yuki said, returning to the relaxed stance he'd been in moments before.

"Have you talked to Rika yet?" She asked.

"No, she's only been here a day, how the hell are we supposed to talk yo her?" He spat, an underlying anger evident on his face.

"Oh...well...she's very nice, and I was wondering if we should invite her over someday" Tohru kept talking despite the negativity emancipating from Kyo.

"That would be a wonderful idea Miss-Honda" Yuki said, his eyes meeting briefly with Haru's. Maybe Shigure would know what to do. What with the dirt the new girl was draggin up...he'd need to.


	3. Chapter 3

Slinging my book bag onto my back, I made for the door of the classroom, saluting Uo, Hana and Tohru as I left. I'd been at Kaibara High a week, and I was fitting in okay. But, there was something about those Sohma kids that bothered me. Yuki, the prince (I learned his nickname when I saluted him in the hallway, which lead to me being viciously attacked by his fan girls) was a nice guy, though he was often quiet.

Hatsuharu and Momiji were opposites in all terms of the word, but something told me that if push came to shove, Haru would protect the more childish boy with his life.

And, finally Kyo. Carrot top as Uo liked to say, was the most interesting, not just because he did everything in his power to ignore my existance, but the way it affected me also. Each brush off, every time he dropped his ignorance to glare at me, my heart hammered in my chest. I would blush and squirm in my seat. It was as if he knew what buttons to push with me to upset me.

But, if you remember my father saying something about drawings, I'll explain now. Since I was twelve, when my parents and I moved to the coast, I'd always been drawing these two kids. One, was myself and the other, a red haired boy. My father thought that was what had started the nightmares, because they began as soon as I started hanging them up in my room. But, I did, and still do disagree with him.

"Rika, wait up" I heard a soft voice call, interupting my train of thoughts. I turned around to see Tohru and Yuki walking up to me. I stifled a groan, though she was very nice, and always so polite, sometimes her constant happiness got to me. People needed to express sadness to deal with life too, and being happy all the time wouldn't help things.

They'd reached me now, and Tohru's smile was very clear. I forced a grin.

"Hey, um...Yuki, Kyo and I were wondering if you'd like to come back to our house for dinner tonight" She said timidly. Yuki nodded his approval, but Kyo, who I'd just noticed behind them, kept walking.

I felt my smile slowly fade, and shook my head.

"I don't think Kyo would like me there" I said slowly.

"Never mind him Rika, you would be our guest" Yuki spoke, a smile spreading across his face gently.

"We insist, unless you've anything else to do?" Tohru suddenly deflated, and she mutterd to herself, _oh dear, I can't believe I forgot, she could have her own plans. _

"No, actually I dont. I'd...I'd like to come" I felt a natural smile cross my lips for an instant. Maybe it would be fun afterall.

--

Tohru had ran to catch up with Kyo, and now I was walking along with Yuki in silence.

"So was they coast nice?" He asked after a long pause in conversation. I nodded, then decided to elaborate.

"It was beautiful, the sun, the sea. But, my mom and I didn't fit in very well there, we were more mountains and lake side people she used to say" A little lump formed in my throat as I thought of her.

"Hmmm, Rika.have you lived here before?" He seemed almost tenative as he spoke.

"Yes actually, we lived just outside the city until I was twelve. My dad worked there for some family" The change of topic stopped the tears coming, and I was truely grateful to Yuki.

"Oh" He smiled once more at me, and then stopped. We'd reached our destination.

"We're home!" Tohru shouted, smiling.

"TOHRU!" a man's voice called. "Thank goodness you are home, Hatori can't torture me with his doctor talk then!" A grinning dark haired man arrived at the door. He froze as his eyes locked with mine, but he quickly reverted to his grin.

"And who may I ask, is this b_eautiful_ girl? I do hope she can come live with us too!" He sang, to be abruptly knocked to his feet by Kyo.

"_Dont be such a perv_!" He hissed, glaring at the older man.

"Do you guys always make so much noise when you get home?" A gentler, masculine voice now entered the commotion.

A quietness insued in the hallway, as he appeared. Half his dark hair hung in front of his left eye, the rest was cut quite short however. He gave off his intimidating power in waves, which helped me understand the silence caused by his presence.

"Hatori, are you staying for dinner too?" Tohru asked him, breaking the tension. He looked upwards, his eyes catching mine. I had to stop myself from lurching back, one of his eyes was shades lighter than the other, blind. But, thats not what startled me the most.

It was the nagging feeling that I'd looked into those eyes, though not injured, before.

"Yes Tohru, I will be staying for dinner"


	4. Chapter 4

Hatori, Kyo, Yuki and Shigure Sohma sat around a low table conversing quietly. The night had fallen, and Rika Hayashi had left, opening the doors of free conversation.

"Where's Tohru?" Shigure asked Yuki, sipping from his tea.

"She's studying for her test tomorrow, perhaps I should go help her" Yuki stood, and as he closed the door he said softly.

"Tohru likes Rika, she's a good person, no matter what Akito or _anyone else_ thinks" His eyes flicked to Kyo as the ginger haired boy huffed.

"Yes, Yuki, she is" Hatori looked pensieve, and a little troubled. The short silence was broken by another huff from Kyo.

"I...can't believe about Kimi" Shigure finally said, his eye teary.

_-- "So, Rika, do your parents know you are here tonight?" Hatori spoke as they ate._

_"No, my father is working, and my mother... well, she passed away last year" The girl had stopped eating, and was staring at her food, her eyes wet._

_Shigure's breath had caught and an odd silence fell about the group._

_"Oh, Rika, I'm...I'm so sorry, I lost my mother last year too. In a road accident" Tohru's eyes had now filled with tears._

_"Pneumonia, she hung on for a month, but in the end, she...she couldn't make it" Rika's voice broke often, droplets spilling down her cheeks._

_"What was her name?" Kyo's voice seemed accusing._

_"Kimiko Hayashi" The girl seemed confused._

_"No, her maiden name" She raised an eyebrow at him as a tension fell on the room._

_"It is, was..." Her voice fell, and her brows knitted together in frustration._

_"I...I...I can't remember" Her hand rose to her mouth as the tears rushed out._

_"Don't worry Rika, that happens me too sometimes" Tohru clasped the elder girls hand gently across the table. --_

"I know" Hatori agreed, his expression sombre.

"She wouldn't have died if Akito hadn't made them leave" Kyo glared at the older men.

"You dont know that Kyo" Shigure looked at the angry boy's frown.

"But it's true, it wasn't Rikas fault, she...she didn't mean to let it happen, it was my fault" A flash of pain raced across his face as he glared at the ground.

"It's all my fault"

--

Hope everyone likes it, and you're all enjoying it! It's not my best work, but I love the idea of this story! And thanks a mil for the reviews

xx


	5. Chapter 5

I groaned as the teacher purposely called out my name. I'd been daydreaming, and he knew it, but I wasn't going to mess up. I grinned wickedly as Uo's voice whispered.

"1942" I repeated this out loud and the look fell from his face.

"Very good" He gave me a -I-know-what-you're-up-to glare, before turning his questions on Yuki.

Somehow, I managed to stay in focus for the rest of the class, though it was hard under the penetrating glare of Kyo. He hadn't spoken to me since the night at the house. I felt as though I'd made some major faux-pas with him and I was never to be forgiven.

The lunch time bell finally rang, and Uo, Hana, Tohru and myself moved to our usual spot. It was outside beneath a large oak, where we had shade and could eat in peace.

"Tohru!" A lively voice sang, and Momiji Sohma bounded over to us. Looking more like a girl than a boy. Haru sauntered up behind him, hands in his pockets, mind obviously else where.

"Oh, hello Momiji, Haru" Tohru smiled that eager smile of hers, and I suddenly found myself smiling along. She was extraordianry, she'd lost a mother and father yet could still smile. My mother was gone, but yet, I found it almost impossible to open my emothions again. Sadness, hurt and anger were the best I could do on the bad days. Tohru was helping me though, she'd hug me if I suddenly fell too quiet, clasp my hand if tears filled my eyes. It w as easy to let her do the nice things, because, it was just her.

"Hey" Haru said, his eyes coming back into focus, and he gave a gentle smile. He plopped down beside me on the grass, stretching out.

"Hiya everyone, how's your day going, I do hope it's fun" Momiji was such a child as he sang his words. Uo and I caught each other's eye's and smirked.

"Oh, it's very good, and yours?" Tohru replied to him, starting up a conversation that trickled on with ease, leaving the rest of us to just relax and listen. Haru began to hum a song, one that I found extremely familiar. As he started to trail off, I was able to pick up the note and continue.

His eyes locked with mine, making me so uncomfortable that I stopped. As his look intensified, I could feel a severe blush creeping up my face. Inside, I cursed myself, what is it with those damn Sohmas?

A sudden shout made us drop our gazes, and fix them above us. A girl, from the year above mine had been running across the yard, and just beneath the tree, she tripped. Her body was hurtling in Haru's direction, and he seemed frozen to the spot.

Deep down, something in my mind clicked, if she landed on him, chaos was going to ensue. And, the bad sort. I was instantly on my feet, and with a fluid movement, my arm slipped around her waist, pulling her back to the concreted part of the grond. Setting her in an upright position, I let go. Surprise was etched on her features, not to mention everyone elses.

"Thanks" The girl muttered, and with a strange grimaced smile, she walked off. Her mind obviously trying to comprehend what had just happened. Because, mine definately was.


	6. Chapter 6

Arisa Uotani's voice carried across the wide street easily, as she held tightly onto the hand of Tohru Honda.

"Rika!, please tell me we're nearly there" She called to the blonde in front of her who was talking to Saki Hanajima.

"One more street, Uo, you're not tired are you?" Rikas voice held a hint of taunting in it, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Don't push her, she can get quite angry" Hana's voice barely broke the same tone, yet Rika heard her perfectly. She shrugged, smiling widely.

"The walk will do us good" She said, hurrying on, pulling her bag tighter on her shoulders. She glanced across the road to where her home sat, or the building where her home sat to be exact.

Uo and Tohru had caught up to the other girls as they entered the tall building, heading towards the elevator. They all squashed in, and somewhere from the back Rika could be heard saying, "Fourth Floor". She smiled as she thought about the last few days, she'd asked over her friends for dinner and here they were. She could've felt her heart burst.

They were of course mostly curious about her, her obsession with Kyo Sohma, ( She denied that she fancied him, but she would get all flustered around him, and he pretended he hated her, only to be caught staring at her with a soft smile on his lips and a strange look in his eyes), her strange agility when the girl almost fell on Haru, ( He had said if she moved like that outside a fight, he most definatley had to see her taking on someone, preferably Him, (Tohru had a sneaking suspision that Black Haru was present)), and most of all the strange behaviour all the Sohmas treated her with.

As they all entered the silent apartment, Rika told them to dump their bags by the door and feel free to look around. Uo gave a low satisfied whistle as her eyes fell upon the wide screen tv propped up on the wall opposite. She glanced at Rika with sparkling eyes, all memories of anger vanishing in an instant.

"Go on, I'll make dinner" She said, in a slight motherly tone. She grinned as both Uo and Hana made their way to the couch. Tohru however stayed with Rika.

"You ok?" the latter girl asked as she turned to the kitchen area. Tohru followed her nodding.

"Would you like me to help with dinner? I mean if you wanna make it on your own its fine, but I'd like to help" Her face flushed as she struggled to put across what she was trying to say.

"Help would be lovely Tohru, we can do it together" And suddenly Rika found herself sharing in the happy grin that Tohru wore daily.

On the couch Hana and Uo conversed quietly.

"I feel sorry for Rika, this place has some really bad waves" Hana said her lyrically monotone voice not carrying to the the other two girls.

"What do you mean? It's a nice home?"

"No, its a house, an empty shell, not a home, look around, from what we've seen of Rika in the past few weeks, what impact have you seen of hers in this home?" Uo allowed her eyes to trail around the room, business leaflets, documents with private marked across them and a single wedding photo were the only marks of human habitation in the room.

"Hmm, look at this" Uo picked the photo up examining the blonde woman and dark haired man captured in a single moment of time.

"It's srange" Hana let her fingers trail over it gently. "They're sitting down"

"Don't married couples usually stand and hold hands? Rika's mom is really beautiful here, but she looks uncomfortable" It was true, Rika's father stood behing a chair in which sat Kimmi, but she sat at an odd angle, like a model who was trying to hide a bit of extra weight present on her abdomen.

"I dunno, maybe it was their choice to sit like this?" Uo spoke finally, and the both of them returned to watching the screen, each pondering the picture.

Tohru rolled the rice between her fingers, forcing it to take shape as she did so. Rika worked on the meat, checking it every so often, whilst talking to Tohru.

"Rika, you...you know that we're friends?" Tohru began slowly after a seconds silence. Rika nodded, unsure where this conversation was going.

"But, you...you know I'm friends with Kyo too" Her voice trailed off as the blonde haired girl realised what Tohru wanted.

"You don't want to have to choose, you don't want us to fight" Rika said in a throaty voice, as Tohru proceeded to stare at the riceball she was making.

She glanced up and nodded, little tears lacing their way across her eyes. Rika walked over to her friend, engulfing her in her arms. "I promise I'll make an effort, but he better do it too"

The little orphan girl smiled, then bowed her head. "Thank you Rika, he will make the effort too I hope!" Grinning, Rika picked up a bunch of rice moulding it in between her hands.

"Look, a cat!" She held it up to Tohru who smiled with a tender look of surprise, she too held up a riceball she'd made.

"A rat" The two girls broke into giggles, until Rika got a strange smell. Looking up, she let out a cry.

"The Meat!!"

AN/ Hey guys, sorry it's late! My internets keeps crashing...(damn guys hu said they were fixin it, actually messed it up even worse, and said when we rang they'd be over the next day...since when did 24hours morph into three weeks?? sigh) But, here it is anyhu!

Thanks to all the reviews, alerts and favourites! Esp you, Lydia-chan!

thanks all xxxxx


	7. Chapter 7

Heres another! P.s-the italics are memories, just in case anone is confused! (,)

--

As I stepped out from the doors of Kaibara High, I smirked as a droplet of water hit my face. It was followed by more, and amist those running for cover I raised my umbrella high. My mother used to say I was like a cat, no matter how fine the weather was, I always knew when the rain would come. Today was no different, it had started out as a scorcher, most people coming to school in short sleeves, no jackets. I came with both a light rain mac, and a brolly.

For the first time in god knows how long, I was leaving the school alone. Uo and Toru were working, Hana had gotten sick during the weekend(not my cooking's fault however), Yuki had a student council metting and Haru and Momiji were long gone.

Through the rain I spotted a lone figure, the familiar red head that set my heart racing. My teeth gnawed at my lip as I began to think of Tohru. Truth be told, I hadn't stopped thinking about what she'd said to me all weekend, and after all she had done for me I owed it to her to try.

Almost involutarily I let his name slip through my teeth, "Kyo!"

He turned in the rain, and I could almost hear his teeth grinding as his eyes locked with mine. A knot formed in my throat as I walked to him, and I pushed the umbrella over his head, the two of us a few inches apart.

"What do you want?" His tone lacked no venom, but his expression wasn't as harsh as other times. I took a deep breath to steady my breathing, then spoke.

"You may not like me very much, and deep down, I think I deserve your anger. But, Tohru values us both as friends and out of my love for her, I'm gonna make every effort with you to be friends and not make her choose" The lump in my throat had returned and my eyes filled a little.

Then the weirdest thing happened, he smiled at me, his eyes softening.

"Thats...thats just like you" His hand reached up and curled under my chin, tilting my head up.

A sharp stabbing pain raced through my body, climaxing at my head. The umbrella fell from my fingers and I clutched my head in agony.

_"Kyo, c'mon lets go"_

_"Why are you still with me, why don't you hate me too?"_

_"I'm your best friend, no matter what happens I'll never hate you"_

My breathing was rushed, and my knees ached where'd they'd hit the ground. Tears streamed down my face mixing with the rain falling in a constant motion.

"Rika! Rika are you okay? Rika speak to me, please, talk to me" Kyo's arms were under my elbows, barely holding me up. He looked as though he'd keel over himself soon. The panic on his face spurred me to struggle a few words out.

"I'm...I'm okay, I just need to lie down for a bit" I pulled my self up, retrieving the umbrella as it rolled away. It seemed pointless using it now, both of us were soaked to the skin.

"I'll take you home, telll me where you live" I relayed the area of my apartment and we got there within ten minutes. Inside we both slumped on the couch, my head resting on his shoulder. We lay there for minutes, just listening to the silence and recovering.

A smile spread on my face, and my shoulders began to shake with peals of laughter. We dissolved into the the humour of the situation, one minute barely talking, a moment of panic and fear and the next the best of friends, yet I'd the stangest feeling we had done it all before. The friends thing I mean.

As I changed into a dry outfit in my room, I could see Kyo in the kitchen leaning against the counter, drying his hair with the towel I'd given him. Chewing my lip, I stepped back into his presence. The smile that enveloped his face sent another sharp pain through my head.

_"You're a Sohma first Rika, its in your blood never ever forget that sweetheart"_

_"Okay mommy, what about daddy though, he says i'm a Hayashi!"_

_"No! Sohma, that's what we are! Sohma Sohma Sohma!" _

"Rika, you've got that look again, you okay?" He was by me in an instant, his strong grip on my shoulders. I nodded, trying to make sense of eyerything going through my head.

"My mom was Sohma, Kimiko Sohma" He looked grave for a moment then grinned, pulling me closer, his eyes boring into mine.

"You remembered, I knew you would! Rika, I'm so...so...I never hated you" The smile fell from his face as he continued, "I hate myself for what happened, I don't deserve us to go back to normal..." I stayed quiet, losing myself in his eyes. I hadn't a clue what he was speaking about, but I knew it definately meant something.

"I just wish it could" I gulped as he came closer again. His lips pressed against mine and my knees buckled. He held me up from the elbows, keeping enough distance between us so that our chests didn't touch at all. My eyes closed as I sank into it, a soft sound escaping my lips. It was my first kiss, it may sound strange, but I felt things were supposed to be like this, I was supposed to wait.

Neither of us heard the elevators movement, or the footfalls in the hall. I did however hear the call.

"Rika, I'm Home"


	8. Chapter 8

There were two things Takuto Hayashi wished to do in life. To hold on to every memory of his wife was one, the other was to protect her daughter. When they'd moved to Okinawa, he had known his wife and daughter weren't happy, so he threw himself into his work to help him ignore their silent protests. He didn't realise at the time he was also ignoring his wifes illness.

No matter how much they rebelled against being in Okinawa, they had little hope of returning to Tokyo. Or at least he had thought so. However, following his wifes passing, Rika had slipped into a deeper depression, the nightmares that Kimmi had helped her fight came back with vengence, and the avoidance started again.

When they'd first gone to Okinawa, Rika had thrown herself into every possible club and class. She played soccer, trained daily at the Dojo, swam before breakfast, did track at school. If the weekends weren't filled with some tournament or other, she took up cooking, mechanics, even extra school subjects. While she exceeded academically, she was fading physically. In the end, Kinni took her out of school for a year to help her cope.

Takuto knew little of what happened between them in those times, but he knew it helped. Then, Kimmi started taking her away for a few days, to see what Japan truely had to offer. They went to Tokyo for a few days, but when they returned the nightmares began. To help, Kimmi had told Rika to start writing down what was happening, but being Rika she took it one step furthur and drew what she saw. She was thirteen and yet holding something deep within her.

The images scared Takuto at most, dark rooms, walls with blood on them, a terrifying face. Then Kimmi started staying with her daughter at night, singing to her, helping her remember though it was against the rules. Suddenly the pictures changed, it showed people, fields of flowers and lakes of shimmering beauty. A red haired boy, an amber haired toddler and a blonde haired girl.

Now back in Tokyo, she had taken her pictures with her. Though he worked almost every hour of the day, he had noticed changes in his daughter. Since starting at this new school, the nightmares had diminished, and her cold demeanor had begun to crack.

Standing in front of him now however, was something that could send her into a spiral of destruction.

Rika and the red haired young man, locked together in a silent act of compassion. He had called out upon entering the house, and it wasn't unusual for her not to answer, he only came home for dinner, and she hated that.

"Rika" He said slowly, and watched with a sombre expression as they pulled apart.

"Young man I would like you to leave my home and never come back" He said, his face icily blank.

Rika glared at her father as he spoke, her frozen walls returning around her heart. Nodding once at Kyo, he too threw a dirty look in her fathers direction.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow, nice to meet you Mr.Hayashi" He bowed once to Takuto and grabbing his bag, left.

Moving into a fighting stance, Rika prepared herself for the battle about to begin.

"I can't believe you just did that" She said, her eyes tightly closing and opening again.

"He isn't good enough..."

"You don't even know him, you don't know his name, who he is, anything about him!" She was shouting as she cut across him.

"Neither do you Rika, I'm just trying to protect you"

"You've a funny way of showing it. I'd rather be happy and vunerable, than isolated and protected! If mom was here, she'd understand. But, thanks to you she's not, I _hate _your protection" Fixing him with a steely stare, she stalked off to her room, slamming the door so loudly he winced. Then with a defeated sigh he sank into a chair.

--

Kyo Somha sauntered home with a lightness in his step he hadn't experienced before. Rika remembered, maybe not everything but it was all still there. Soon, with his help, she'd learn to forgive him, to love him like she used to.

At home, he surprised all by eating his food without a fuss, washing the dishes, helping Tohru with the laundry and not challenging Yuki to a single fight. He then did some study and retreated to his room, the rain still pouring down too heavily for him to nap on the room. For the first time in years, he didn't feel weak when the rain fell. He only wished it would happen way more often.


	9. Chapter 9

Sitting in my room, I sulked on the bed. What right did my dad have to say those things when he didn't even know Kyo? True, all I knew was he had a temper, hated his cousin, did martial arts, was doing well at school and best of all he liked me. I wasn't going to complain, the weakness in my body at the thought of our kiss was enough to stop me doing that.

I could hear my dad pottering around in the kitchen, possibly making something to eat, since after our fight he'd returned to work hungry. Not that I cared. Glancing at my clock, I saw it was just after ten. Pulling myself from the bed, I grabbed my pj's from my case.

Once dressed for bed, I threw all my things into the case, if things weren't better in the morning, I was moving out. Where, I didn't exactly know yet. I flicked off my light as I curled up in the blankets.

--

My eyes burned streaming with tears as I struggled to breathe. I didn't know what was wrong with me as I sat upwards. It was then I saw the thick smoke swirling around my room, choking me slowly with its black grip. The first emotion that gripped my body was panic and I rushed to my door. A gasp of horror escaped my lips as I saw the red and orange flames licking the walls and floor.

"Dad!!" I screamed into the hallway.

"Dad...dad wake up" A racking cough enveloped me as I allowed too much smoke into my lungs. Tears streamed from my eyes as I fought to breathe. Then I saw the door of my fathers room open.

"Rika, get onto your balcony and cover yourself with your blankets, don't worry about me sweetheart, I love you" He called to me, and though I hesitated at first, I nodded.

"Love you too" I rasped back and then turned running. Sliding open my doors to the balcony, which in truth was no bigger than a ledge surrounded by a low wall. Biting my lip, I turned back and grabbed the bag I'd rashly packed the few hours before along with the duvet from my bed.

I squeezed out to the ledge with my items, crawling into a foetal position, the thick blanket covering me from the ever pounding floods of rain that soaked any bit of my body that was exposed. The chill bit through me, but I'd rather be outside and cold than burning slowly to death.

A half hour passed and the heat behind me was ever increasing, the flames working their was to the glass. Shivering from the rain, I jumped at the sound of a crack behind me. Curious, I inched my head out from the blanket. It fell away from me as a muffled sob took me. Colours of red, yellow, orange and pink danced through my room, their tails flicking against the glass behind me. Another crack rang in my ears along with the sound of sirens in the distance.

I barely had time to cover my eyes as all the glass behind me shattered, cutting into my exposed right arm and cheek. The pain was so sudden, a darkness engulfed me and I obliged willingly as the face of my father appeared smiling before my eyes.

--

"Poor thing, she's lucky to have survived"

"Clever to use the balcony as a safe haven, though what sort of fool only puts fire escapes at one side of a building?"

"A big one by the looks of it, hey Soushi, she's comin round"

The voices of a man and woman invaded my conciousness, along with sirens and screeching. I tried to cough but something sat over my mouth and nose. Fear made me try to pull it off but I was stopped my gentle hands.

"Easy there Hun, relax, don't try to move just yet" the man, Soushi spoke gently.

"We are EMA's, I'm Yayoi and that's Soushi, the mask is clearing out the reminants of smoke in your lungs, but you'll need stitches in your arm, and your doctor will be able to do that if you can give us their name" the soft voice of the woman relaxed me and I scoured my brain for a doc's name. Soon I managed to find one,

"Hatori Sohma"


	10. Chapter 10

Kyo Sohma stretched out upon his futon, rubbing his eyes from drowsiness. Glancing at the electric clock beside him he saw the little red digits mark the time as 4:05 a.m. The high of the evening had diminished, but he still felt his heart quicken when he thought of Rika.

She remembered, maybe not all but enough to show him she was still there. An uneasiness gathered in his stomach area as he'd lain waiting for sleep to claim him, but he must've over done the daytime naps because it just wouldn't. Yuki, Tohru and Shigure had gone to bed early enough, so he couldn't do anything other than chill or he would wake them.

A high pitched shrill noise rang out, startling him to no end. He hopped upwards looking around until he realised it was the phone. A little dizzy from the sudden jump, he growled wondering who'd have the nerve to call at this hour of the night.

"Hullo?" he muttered groggily into the reciever as he picked it up. Shigure was shuffling about in his room, probably waiting to see what was up. That damn rat wouldn't wake if the roof was taken clean off the house Kyo thought, but was happy enough that Tohru hadn't woken.

"Kyo? Hatori here, no time to explain, but I need you to fill a basin with warm water, a drop of antiseptic, gather towels, and set up a makeshift bed downstairs, perhaps the living room. I'll be there in five" with that he hung up, leaving Kyo with his mouth hanging open staring at the wall. The panic in Hatori's voice had scared even him, and knocking at Shigures door he relayed the orders and set to work.

Hatori Sohma was tired, lack of sleep being the most important factor in this however. Tight breathing could be heard beside him, and he threw his eyes over the akward form of the young girl beside him. He quickly made a mental list of what he had to do. Three pieces of glass were embedded deeply in her skin, they would have to be removed. The EMA's had treated the smoke inhalation at the scene, and removed the minor traces of glass. There wasn't enough resources however to do the rest.

His medical bag was with him and with Kyo's help, he'd have her patched up physically within an hour. He had been asked at the scene were there any relatives living with her, when he had told then about her father, the grimmest expressions took over their faces. The fire had left only a few survived. People from the first and fifth floor had gotten the chance to escape. It wasn't looking good for the rest.

Pulling up outside the house, he quickly got out, and easily lifted the barely concious form of Rika Hayashi. Slotting his bag under his arm, he moved quickly into the house.

As soon as he reached the waiting open door he was hit with questions.

"What the hell is goin on? Who's that? Wait...Rika? Dammit what the hell, did that bastard hurt her?"

"Kyo, watch your language in the presence of such a beautiful butterfly" Gure sang, sparing Hatori the questions but equally curious, especially as to how the girl was so close to him and he was still standing as a man.

"Shigure, now is not the time" Hatori said wearily as he laid the girl on the futon spread out on the living room floor. Kyo fell silent as he set to work, his hands moving rapidly to get the job done. The red head studied Rikas face, half of which was covered in trails of blood at the centre of which was a shining piece of glass sitting. Her eyes began to flutter as Hatori dabbed the anti bacterial soapy water on her cheek and arm.

"Daddy?" she murmured her pupils unfocused. Her palm reached out and Kyo caught them as they trembled. Despite the shaking they were warm, and the backs were a reddish colour.

"It's me Ri, you'll be okay, Hatori's just helping you" Kyo muttered softly, surprising both older men with his tenderness.

"Dad, where is he?" She rasped back and he looked to Hatori for an answer. The elder man avoided his eyes, bending to the girl and extracting the shard of clear glass from her cheek then moving in with sterile strips to hold the wound together. Sighing he spoke,

"The emergency services are looking, but you have to be prepared" the finality in his tone brought tears to her eyes, and now finished with his medical uses turned into her pillow sobbing throatily.

"I'll make some tea Hari, come with me" Shigure said standing. "You may not want to hear this right now, but you are welcome to stay as long as you like, butterfly" Kyo glared at his older cousin for the pet name, but he didn't realise that was what Gure used to call Kimmi too.

As the men left, Kyo took time to notice that the girl was soaking wet. He stood to get something dry for her to wear but her hand clasped around his foot.

"Don't leave, please!" She cried, tears cascading down her cheeks. He smiled gently speaking lowly,

"I'll be right back" He quickly gathered a spare black t-shirt and pajama pants of his and raced back to her. He helped her change, then lay down beside her, offerimg his shoulder to cry on.

"What happened to her Hari?" Shigure asked, pouring the strong tea for the exhausted body across from him.

"A fire started in the third floor of her apartment block, she was found on her balcony, lying on a blood covered blanket, surrounded by shattered glass and a suitcase. I have the case in my car. The fire escape was at the far side of the building, but the smoke travelled so fast, the majority of people were probably dead before the flames set off the back up alarms. The place is destroyed altogether, she is so lucky" Hatori spoke in slow precise sentences,alerting Shigure to something.

"You were serious about Takuto?"

"Yes, if he was alive, he would've been found by the time I got there"

"Poor thing, she's much in the same predicament as Tohru now...Hari, why didn't she change you?" Hatori sighed shaking his head.

"You seem to forget Shigure, she is not alone, not in the sense you mean. That's why she didn't change me"

The look of dawning on Shigures face would have been comical but for the simple fact of the anguished sobs erupting from the next room.

"I see" he took a sip of his own tea, watching as a little light broke the cover of darkness out side. He saw too clearly, even with the torrents of rain outside.

A/N: Hope you guys like it? Rate and review if you've any ideas, comments, problems or such, but ieven if ya dont i'm still gonna update, i'm not someone who holds my work hostage!! Thanks for reading. xxvolturixx


	11. Chapter 11

Plunging my hands into the soapy water I let them find the smooth delph used for dinner. Tohru was working so I decided to do the cooking, but leaving some miso soup for the busy girl. It was almost past eleven, and Yuki had gone to walk her home after her long shift. Shigure sat at the table in the living room, reading somthing that had him smirking every few moments.

My eyes trailed over the garden area, wondering if tomorrow would be suitable to work outside. Hatori had me off school since the fire, almost two and a half weeks before. I hadn't shed a tear since that night, even during my fathers funeral. Some of his work collueges, Uo, Hana and Tohru made up the congregation, with Kyo and the rest coming only to the scattering.

The fire services had worked quickly, but my dad made his own fate. After ordering me to leave, he had rushed to the living room to get the only framed picture he had of mum and him at their wedding. The metal frame had fused to his skin by the time I had to identify him. Even then, I couldnt cry, I was numb.

The feeling lasted even now, as I washed the dishes. I had absolutely no idea what temperature the water was at, I just used it. Judging by the steam rising, I should've been scalded, but I couldn't feel a thing.

"Rika, you okay?" Kyo stood behind me, startling me. I nodded, reverting my eyes to the sink.

"Dammit, will you talk to me!" He caught my shoulders spinning me round to face him. My face contorted in confusion, as the droplets slided down my fingers.

"Im sorry" I muttered keeping my gaze to the floor. He lifted my chin so our eyes met, the anger and hurt clear at the centres. He sighed in resignation, before wrapping me in a hug. He seemed to enjoy our close proximity, as though the feeling was new to him. I knew he was frustrated, we hadn't kissed since that night, but despite the fact I now shared rooms with Tohru, until my bed was to be delivered, once Tohru slept soundly, I migrated to Kyo's room and open arms.

He was my source of comfort without a doubt, and I availed of his services constantly. The simple task of letting me sleep close to him didn't bother him thankfully however.

"Hows the butterfly doing?" Shigures voice came from the door, and Kyo tensed. The older man viewed us in such a knowing way, it almost disturbed me.

"I want to go to school tomorrow" My voice was too similar to Hana's that it almost upset me as much as I could see the visible worry in Gures and Kyo's faces.

"Im sorry, Hatori will kill me if I let you go, he says you need another day or two, I know the stitches were taken out, but you have to let everything else have time to heal little butterfly" I didn't protest as he spoke, touching his hand to mine quickly, just meekly accepting my orders.

"I'm gonna go to bed" Extracting myself from Kyos grip, I unplugged the stopper, letting the water disappear. Then silently, I left the still silent presence of my hosts.

--

"Rika! We're home!" Tohrus voice carried across the house, and she quickly ran to hug me. "Did anything exciting happen today?"

"My dads insurance is going to be here next month, 5 million yen, but I can't access most of it until I turn eighteen in June. I have 2 million yen from my mother too, so I'm going to buy an apartment of my own as soon as I can"

"Wow, you were busy! Did Hatori take you to Okinawa yesterday?" I had left with the elder Sohma the previous morning and only returned at midnight.

"Yes, I'm leaving my parents things to be sorted for a while though, the house is cleaned out, so all our belongings are boxed up in my room" It was strange, Tohru and Uo were really the only ones I spoke with now, with them I really had no choice but to speak, or else be worried about or given out to.

I picked up a glass from the draining board, drying it slowly. As I handed it to Tohru to put away, the doorbell rang and I dropped it, letting it shatter against the ground.

"Oh dear! Let me just get the door and I'll clean it up then! I'm such a clutz!"

"Its fine, I got it" I said to her as she left the kitchen. I gingerly placed the bigger shards in my left hand. Then I heard Tohru cry out,

"Kisa! Hiro, Haru and Momiji, so nice to see you all!" I however was gone by the first name, and as my head swam, my hand tensed.

"YOU, were supposed to be watching! You've become too preoccupied with that demon! Your duty is to protect Kisa! Your as helpful as that cat! Worthless child!"

"Im sorry Akito, it was an accident, please don't be mad, I'm sorry!"

Returning I heard the doors open, as the blood began to trickle down my fingers. I looked up to see a young boy wearing a horrified expression of utter hatred.

"You!"


	12. Chapter 12

Kisa Sohma always had someone to look up to. Her mom, then her nanny/babysitter, Hiro and now Tohru. Nanny had always been her guardian, someone whom she could confide in when she was scared or angry. Someone, that when her mother was late home from work, would lie in bed with you just to keep you company even when her own mother was sitting at home waiting for her.

Then she'd just left, disappeared in the night without a trace. All the adults knew what had happened, but no one would explain it to the deeply hurt six year old. Then Hiro stepped in, and became her new guardian, but when be too left things became too hard to cope with and she became inteoverted. Que Tohru, and with her help, Hiro came back, now it looked as though she was going to get nanny back too.

"Punk faced brat, leave her the hell alone" Kyo shouted at Hiros exclamation. Hatori sighed, barely in the door and there was already fighting. He had decided to check up on Rika, not much of a surprise, since he spent almost as much time with her as with Akito recently. Momiji and Haru appeared as he was leaving, telling him that they were visiting Rika too. Then Kisa arrived with Hiro and though he initally denied their (mostly Kisa's) pleas to come with him.

Eventually he gave in, knowing that the time was going to happen sooner or later. Personally, he preferred the latter, as the young blonde was in such a brittle state of mental and physical health. The younger Sohmas just wanted to see who the big secret was, since most knew Shigure had a new house guest, but it was an unspoken rule that Akito wasn't to find out.

"What ya gonna do hit me? Dumb cat" Hiro was distracted by Kyo's insult, and stood now looking at the older boy with defiance.

"Smart ass twerp, maybe I _will_ pummel you!" Kyo was standing, his fists raised. Though Hiro was distracted, Kisa wasn't, and she slowly stepped to the blonde who hadn't moved since Hiro had shouted at her.

"Are you really? Really Rika? Please, could you tell me?" Her polite tone startled Rika and she looked up to the Amber haired child nodding. "I'm so glad...I missed you nanny!"

Rikas eyes watered as she stood walking to the doorway, to Kisa.

"I'm so sorry, I know your name, and I think I know your face, but I can't remember you" Her voice was strained, and she held her hand to her chest. Kisa seemed to understand and though tears slipped down her cheeks she nodded.

"You need time, but no matter what, I forgive you nanny" This caught Hiros attention, and he spun around.

"You shouldn't forgive her, she left us, abandoned us when she promised she wouldn't, she doesn't deserve your forgiveness" He spoke passionately, and Rika was suddenly overcome with unidentifiable guilt. Her head dropped to her chest, she felt dizzy and nauseous.

"I told you, leave her alone you brat" Kyo sprang forward, and this spurred Rika to act.

"NO!!" She jumped infront of him, her arms locking around his waist.

"Dont fight, not for me, I deserve this, I did something terribly wrong" a deathly silence enveloped the room, not at her words but her position. Her closeness to Kyo and his still human form.

Kyo viewed her fondly speaking, only to her "You remembered something"

Hatori had his eye caught by something, a trickle of blood dropping to the floor.

"Tohru, take Kisa and Hiro upstairs for a while, Kyo hold up Rika, she's going to faint if she stands much longer, Shigure, get my bag, Momiji and the rest do something useful" His tone left no option of questionning, and in a matter of moments the rooms was empty except for the doctor, the cat and the girl.

Kyo sat on the floor, the small form kept in his grasp. Her face was pale, and blood fell freely from her clutched left hand.

"Now that they know do you think...?" Kyo hadn't the heart to finish, sure the finalization would seal Rika's fate. She looked up at him with impassive eyes when squeezed tight when Hatori forced her palm open. At this moment, Shigure came with the bag, Haru with a glass of water, Momiji with a towel and Yuki with a basin of water and some clean paper cloths.

"Yes, Kyo, I think Akito will find out now, he won't be happy, and the secrecy will not help her case" Hatori didn't speak until everyone had left again. He noted the visible drain of colour in the girls face when the Sohma head was mentioned, and then the tremor of her body.

"Kyo sit here and hold the cloths to the wound, let me sit there" Kyo odeyed and quickly switched places with the older man. Hatori placed his arm around her waist, sitting her upright, then tilting her head to the ground.

"Breathe in and out slowly now, don't think about anything, just breathe" He took her hand from Kyo, quicky stitching it up and bandaging it. The child certainly had a way with glass he thought. Danger averted, he lay her down on the towel, making a pillow from the sitting cushion nearest him. Kyo sat and watched as she drifted into sleep, without shedding a tear or a word.

"We have to pull her from this before it consumes her" Hatori spoke a little while later to the elder Sohmas and Tohru. Momiji had taken home the younger kids earlier, not without protesting from Hiro.

"But, um, I mean what can we do, she won't talk unless Uo or I make her, she's going to be just like Kisa" Tohru rambled quickly, while the others nodded in silent agreement.

"Then we will have to force her to talk, give her no other choice than to do it" Haru gave his comment without any expression but it set the rest thinking. They needed a plan.

A/N: So what do you guys think? Any improvements or such that should be made? I'm thinking of updating two a week now...maybe. Two on a Sunday night is my idea...let me know any way!


	13. Chapter 13

Sitting between Momiji and Kyo, I couldnt help but feel I had been duped. Hoodwinked, messed with, made an idiot out of, whatever way you put it, it was all the same. Hatori had allowed me to return to school, but Shigures sympathetic smothering was more appealing to me right now. At least there I could escape to my room or go for a walk but here I was completely confined.

Kyo never let me out of his grasp let alone his sight, and was being infuriatingly nice, even to Yuki. Though I should have been happy I still wasn't. I felt so lost, my mom and dad gone, and my connection to the Sohmas was confusing me more and more. Who was the Akito that had brought back my nightmares? Ever since Kisa visited, my mind had been in a whirl wind. I just couldnt stop thinking, about everything.

I hadn't shared a bed with Kyo since then, as mine arrived the next day. Alone, I was able to hide everything, the screams at night by sleeping with my face to the pillow, the sudden unexpected bouts of sadness that made me want to just end it all.

A sudden tightness in my chest spurred me to stand. Kyo followed me, and I harshly shook off his fingers, quietly muttering, "Bathroom"

"Whats the matter orange top can't even trust her to use the loo?" Uo stood between us, and gave me a little push in the direction of the said rest room.

"Course I do Yankee, now move" Kyo's voice was too gentle it wasn't normal. I didn't want a babysitting service, I just needed normality, and Uo was possibly the only one who got that.

"She wants time alone" Hana's voice said through the munching of her food. Perhaps I would add her to my list too. And Hatori, because he gave me the chance to come back. But instead of school work, study and gossip, I was greeted with sympathetic glances and words, akwardness and exemption from homework and sports. It was driving me crazy and I'd only been present a few days.

Somehow I reached a cubicle before the pain erupted. I doubled over, cradling my strapped hand, and biting my lips shut to stop the cry. It soon passed however, as usual and I left dry eyed and indifferent. If I could possibly explain it I would, but after my mums death I created a wall around my heart, then as soon as I started to let it fall, I suffered even worse. So, I don't want to let down that wall anymore.

I was leaving the bathroom when I heard the conversing voices of Yuki and Haru. Something told me to stay silent and I did just that, whilst hiding behind the door.

"...won't leave her alone"

"Hmmm"

"She cries at night, in her sleep, that stupid cat cant hear, she's so discreet"

"Perhaps she doesn't want you to worry?"

"No, it's more than that, she doesn't want anyone to help, I think"

"Maybe..., she is remembering isn't she?"

"The cat says so, and she does seem to be more aware of her childhood than she was, what with the Hiro incident"

"Hatori hasn't worried about anyone as much as he does her, he is less focused on Akito now"

"Bet that doesn't please him. Rika didn't deserve want she got, it was possibly worse than what happened to Rin, how is she anyway?"

"She won't see me, I hate it. She needs me, and I can't help"

"Dont worry, she'll see sense, she loves you too much..." With this, their voices had drifted away, leaving me to my confusing tempest mind. Poor Haru, he really loves that girl I thought. The name Rin didn't really ring a bell with me however, but Akito definately did. I came to a conclusion as I stood there, Hatori was the root of my mind, he would help me, and soon.

--

I was just in the door, when I picked up the phone. Dialing out the number given to me for emergencies, I held the reciever to my ear.

"Hello? Is that you Rika? What's the matter?"

"Yes, I need a favour. I want to remember"

(hey guys, hope u like it. All will be revealed soon, btw, this is not based on any set timeline, but it will contain the unvailing of Kyo, and be mostly with a manga background, minus a few things, sly smile!! Anyhu, sorry the chappie is a bit short, the next will make up though, shall be memories and stuffs. Criticism, help and that accepted! Review and such, xxvolturixx)


	14. Chapter 14

Hatori's car zipped along the roads without making a noise. Curled up against Kyo, Rika kept her nausea and terror to herself. She was getting what she wanted, but it scared her. Little did she know, Hatori's knuckles were white against the steering wheel with apprihension for what he was to do.

He had tried to protect her so much, even keeping it from Akito, but now, it was no longer possible to do so. His grip reached breaking point as he heard her mumble to Kyo. She was so introverted recently, nothing like the child she used to be, so bright and bubbly. Free with embraces and love. That became her downfall, he thought as his eyes connected with Kyo's. The cat was sluggish and weak from the coming rain, yet he still stayed with Rika.

Maybe it was guilt, or perhaps it was love, but although Kyo would never leave her side, Hatori knew their relationship would be over before it started. They just didn't seem to click, not like he and Kana used to.

Rika sat up as the car slowed, the Lake House in full magnificent view. Kyo sat upright too, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. They walked together to the doorway, Rika feeling her heart thumping outrageously against her skin. Hatori did not seem to be shocked by the fact that the door was open.

They got to the hallway before Rika heard the voices, a gruff man and a timid mans'. It took one name to set her running, the one face that spread fear through her, along with everything else..

"Yes Akito".

The black haired man appeared in the entrance, and Kyo's hiss confirmed all Rika needed to do as the flashing pain ripped through her head. She turned and sprinted away.

_A four year old blonde girl followed the six year old brunette through the trees surrounding the Sohma compound._

"Gura where are we going today?" The blonde chirrped happily. The brunete smiled sweetly,

"I'm going to take you to meet a friend, his name is Kyo, and I think you'll like him, he's real nice" 

Her feet hit hard turf as she ran, ripples of pain coursing through her head. Rain hit against her hair, her clothes and soaking through her canvas converse.

_The dark haired youth stalked across the floor, keeping the seven year old blonde on her toes._

"As your grandmother was also the tiger, your heritage allows you access to this house, now with the arrival of Kisa, your duty is about to begin" The wide Amber eyes bore into the dark ones. Rika nodded in case Akito got any bit mad.

"You will be there when Kisa wants to go out, you won't allow her to come in contact with boys or change. If anything, anything at all, happens, you will be the one held responsible, your blood does not give status in my home, my zodiac will not follow you. Do you understand?" The words made no sense to the little girl, but she agreed all the same. Anything for the God.

"Yes Akito"

Kyo cursed the rain that fell, he was too weak to make it past the car. Instead, Hatori took off into the woods, his feets slapping the ground. Akito turned to Kureno, disgust written on his face.

"Take me home, this sight is making me sick"

_"Wika, wer are we goin?" The little ginger haired youth, of two years old held tightly onto the just nine year olds hand. They trailed through the trees, just as Kagura had done with Rika years before. Rika turned to her charge, grinning._

"We are goin to a park, where we can play!" She gushed quickly, watching the younger girls identical eyes sparkle.

"Wow!! Weally?"

"Course, but Ki, you can't tell anyone we went! Or Akito might get really mad! But Gura and Kyo are coming too!" Those little innocent eyes surveyed Rika and her bruised cheek with glee. Oh, what fun they were going to have!

Rika stumbled against a tree, as the dizziness overtook her. She was cold, wet and entirely out of breath. Dry wretching onto the ground, she almost let herself slump down. Then she heard a voice not too far behind her, calling out. Knowing she would be visible on the path, she took off into the dense woodland, slipping and sliding as she moved.

_"Pat a cake, Pat a cake, Bakers man, Bake..."_

"This game is weird Rika, why do we have to play it?" An orange haired boy dropped the hands previously in the air, a small frown on his face.

"We don't I guess, but its the only thing we can do here, unless your dad could catch us, Akito was so mad at me the last time" The ten year old had confusion written across her gentle features, as to why the God would be so angry over a friendship. Especially when he had just lost his mom and moved home. A scowl flitted across the red heads face, and he blew the orange bangs off his eyes. Sensing danger, Rika hastily tried to defer it, tucking the recently grown bangs on her own face behind her ear speaking.

"Well, he's not your dad, but he acts like one, he can't cook like mine either" She gave a timid laugh as he cast a surveying look over her. She chewed on her lip, Kyo was always so sweet tempered but now, he had become easily riled, and rarely happy.

"Your hair is pretty like that" He said after a pause, and a blush rose to the girls cheeks. They had reached the age where boys no longer were icky, and girls no longer had cooties, and they both were finding it strange to say the least.

"Why do adults kiss? Do you think they like it?" Kyo raised an eyebrow at the girls question but sensed they were leading to something. He shrugged in reply, placing one of his arms around Rika, waiting.

"Kisa's mom and Dad do it all the time, and so do Hiro's and Gura's. But mine don't, I don't think they are happy, I think I did something wrong" Tears were swimming in her eyes, and Kyo struggled to comfort her, sticking to just rubbing her shoulder saying everything would be okay. After a while her sobs diminished, never one to cry for very long under any circumstances. It didn't take long to revert to her random happiness.

"Gura has a crush on you" Rika said glancing at Kyo, who pulled a face, proclaiming Ew!

"Why is it ew?"

"She's twelve, and she's Kagura!"

"I'm eleven in two weeks, will you not like me when I'm that old?" Hurt and anger laced through her tone and Kyo panicked. She was too close to Kagura, and he knew the elder girl had been helping her in her martial arts training, though Rika would never realy hit him on purpose.

"Course I will...Your my best friend! I'll always like you, no matter"

"Promise?" The boy nodded a smile on his face and Rika hugged him tight, before either of them could speak however, the doors were pulled open and they both tumbled out of the cupboard. Kazuma stood over them, his expression sombre.

"Rika, time to go now, Kisa's hurt, your mom is looking for you!"  
  
Rika was out of breath, and starting to weaken. Twigs, leaves and mud adorned her clothing and hair, and she dragged her feet along. All she needed was somewhere to rest, she felt as though she had been running for days, and the added memory overload, with its own stock of symptoms didn't help.  
_  
The room she was in was dark, and her cheek hurt badly. Disorientated and tired she missed the sound of breathing that was keeping her company. A door somewhere slid open and she sat up, a tremendous effort through the hazy pain._

"Yuki, you ok?" A boys voice rang through the bleakness, the first sign of life Rika had gotten for days.

"Haru?" Another boys voice echoed, hoarse from crying and exhaustion.

"And Rin, we brought you water, and some bread, here" Shuffling noises ensued, and Rika got the smell of fresh baked bread, making her stomach growl enviously.

"Whos there?" The second boys panicked voice whispered. Rika pushed herself to her feet, trying to speak.

"Please, take me home, I'm sorry for what I did" And as quickly as the energy came, it left and she fell to the floor in a faint.

Somewhere in the distance, a large hollowed out tree was visible through the rain. Rika was almost crawling by now, and she almost cried as she hit the dry mossy earth in the hollow. She curled up letting the memories take over once and for all.

_"Rika, please you have to come over today, I need you" The twelve year old fought all inner emotions as she held the phone to her ear._

"Kyo, I can't, I have to mind Hiro and Kisa. If I get caught again..." Fear engulfed her and she gulped.

"Please, the storm makes me so ill, I want you to be here, I need you Ri" She could feel her fear wavering, and sighing gave in.

"Ok, I will, but I can't stay long, Hiro and Kisa should be okay in the park nearby for an hour. But I can't stay any longer" On finishing she knew she had made a big mistake, but Kyo was always going to come first, he was her little brother, in their terms anyways.  


_"You idiot! Stupid worthless child! I told you to stay away from the cat! Now, I'm going to lock him up! And it is all your fault. A dozen children are going to have memories removed, and all because you had to waver in your duties. I warned you, now you will pay the price!" Rika's head hurt, and her face was stained with tears._

"No, don't lock Kyo away! Please! I'll do anything, anything at all. Don't lock him away, please."

"Will you leave and never come back? Allow yourself to be removed entirely from this family?"

"Yes, yes, just don't lock him away!"  
  
Hatori Sohma was getting tired, and he knew he was in trouble. Akito was undoubtably angry at him, but if he didn't find Rika soon, she would be permanently scarred, in every way. He had dealt with her many times as a child, but three events were lodged firmly in his mind.

_"Hatori, I need to leave, will you see to the last patient?" The elder Dr.Sohma addressed his seventeen year old son who simply nodded, taking the chart from his father. He quickly rose and went into the clinic downstairs. He was surprised to see a young girl huddled up on the bed. Blonde hair limply hanging around a shadow hidden face._

"Hello?" He asked, but not getting an answer he consulted the chart. Rika Hayashi, mother Kimmi Sohma, father Takuto Hayashi, eight years, guardian to Kisa Sohma. He glanced back at the girl, he had gotten his answer. Since Kisa had accidentally caused an outer Sohmas memory the need to be erased, Akito had been on the rampage.

"Rika? Are you okay?" He was startled to see the purple bruise under her flowing eyes as she looked up, her tiny face drawn and sad.

"Akito thinks its all my fault. I wasn't supposed to be with Kyo, so that made him madder. He locked me away, I didn't mean to do it" She sobbed lightly as Hatori approached, his heart bursting. With a gentle movement he swept her into his arms. Screw doctors etiquette, he thought, as he comforted her. He knew her position, he knew why Akito would venge more wrath on this girl more so than anyone else, even the cat. He knew she had to be protected, at all costs.

--

Kana smiled as she entered the clinic, waving to the little girl who sat outside Hatoris private office. He was a fine young man of twenty, and she was more than pleased to be working with him.

"Rika" She heard him call, then the eleven year old bounded off her chair and into the office, leaving the door open. Curious, Kana stood outside the door as he gave her a check up.

"How are things at home?" To say she was surprised was an understatement, and she nearly keeled over with shock. He'd never asked personal questions with any other patient, being so professional. And yet, the girl answered. Kana listened as he quizzed her on her daily schedule, her diet, school and if she had been to the main house recently. There was an underlying question in the last one, as if more was implied than actually asked.

At the end, the girl stood, ready to leave but then turned, wrapping her arms around the twenty year old. Even worse, he let her. Inside Kana writhed with jelousy, why wouldn't he hold her like that? Why did he so protectively embrace the child and not her? That day she vowed to make him look at her, to force him to see her in that same way.

--

Hatori was stunned as his door burst open during a check-up with Shigure.

"Leave" Akito hissed to the dog, and he did so, not without raising an eyebrow at the Dragon first however.

"Whats the matter?" The latter asked and the dark teen marched in, holding someone by the hair.

"Remove her memories, now, and by the morning have her removed from the estate too" The young girl fell to her knees as she was released, and Akito left as loudly as coming.

"Rika, what happened?" He had had to remove memories almost a week before, and now before him was the supposed cause. Kimmi was in fits, a week was too much time for her daughter to be missing, but there was nothing any one person could do to help. Not where Akito had the power.

"I don't wanna lose my memories, please Tori, I wanna stay" The girl was hoarse and spoke raspily.

"I'm sorry, I have no choice, Akitos word is law" Suddenly he was surrounded by arms, his shirt being soaked through.

"Don't listen to him, if I go, Kyo will be all alone!" She wailed loudly and Hatori struggled to distance himself from his little charge, never before feeling such a sense of guilt and failure in a task. But he had no choice, the quicker it was done the easier it would be in the long run. For both of them. He placed his forever cold palm on her forehead. She stopped all movement in an instint.

"If I really have to go, then tell Kyo I love him, he'll always be my little brother!" Then she collapsed into his waiting arms, as a whiteness surrounded her. Two lone tears trickled down the young mans cheeks, one for Rika, the other for Kana.

With a cry of relief he spotted her, hidden in a tree hollow. Quickly he came to a decision, this girl was never going to be hurt again, not if he could help it.

A/N! Hey guys! This is my longest chappie yet, and quite possibly my favourite! Keep reviewin, and such, the story is far from over! **.! **_**  
**_


	15. Chapter 15

Sunlight reached across my lids as my eyes fluttered open. The first thing I noticed was the lashing pain in my stomach, and the familiar urge for something chocolate or soothing. I pulled myself to my elbows, then to a sitting position. My hair curled off in all directions possible and I physically knew trying to brush it would be painful.

A shrill ringing reminded me of why I had woken, and I ventured out of the unfamiliar room into a hallway. Travelling down the hallway, I reached the source of my alarm. In a room set like a study, a phone was practically leaping from its holder. Tenatively I picked it up.

"Dr.Hatori Sohma?" Well, that explained my position.

"Sorry, no, may I take a message?" My voice sounded weak in my own ears, hoarse and my throat dry.

"Yes please could you tell him that Agent Mizumi called, inquiring about Miss Rika Hayashi" My throat let out a gasp of shock.

"Thats me Mr.Mizumi" I croaked out, wondering what could have happened.

"Oh, Miss Hayashi. My deepest sympathies for your loss, how are you keeping?" I pondered his question, placed so casually in his gentle tone. How was I doing?

"As good as can be expected, but getting better" I realised this was the truth, as I fondly remembered my childhood, less than a week ago so out of reach.

"Thats good, well, while I have you, I'm going to get down to business. The examination into the fire has been completed. It seems the fire was started on the third floor, by a gas heater that wasn't switched off. But, the building contractors seem to be those in the wrong, we are filing a court case. There are a number of plaintiffs from the survivors giving their names, we were wondering if you would consider to adding yours and your fathers names?"

It took me a second to decide, as a torrent of thoughts rushed through my mind.

"You can, but if there is a winning sum, could you...could you please donate it somewhere who needs it? Like the EMA's"

"It would be my pleasure Miss, I promise to be in touch, keep well"

"Thank you" My voice faded as the line went dead. All this pain, from a heater? Each floor in our apartment had two divisions, and the third floor housed a single man and an old widow. My thoughts were on the widow, she always complained of the cold, she was a skinny little thing that always looked as if she'd crumble at the slightest touch. I tried to feel angry with her, but couldn't. Snapping out of my thoughts I realised the reciever was still in my grasp.

I took a walk back to my tempoary abode, and examined the room. It had to be either Haru or Momiji's room, and the abundance of black and White clothing proved it was the formers. My futon lay on its own the centre of the room, the bed pushed against the wall, and a desk at the other side. A cast aside photograph sticking out of the beds' pillow caught my eye. I picked it up, only to be looking into my six year old face. Before Kisa was born, the new years banquet.

Yuki, Haru, Gura, Momiji and another girl whom I presumed to be Isuzu, or rather Rin, stood around me. As I racked my brain I could remember, the way the adults announced that they wanted all the kids to stand together for a photo. I could also clearly remember the feeling of Akito's fingers across my face when I asked why Kyo couldn't be in the snap shot.

Anger bubbled in my chest and placing the photo back, I found the kitchen. Ransaking the freezer, I was more than surprised to find Hatori stocked my favourite ice-cream. Chocolate Fudge Brownie. After digging up a spoon, I returned to the study where the phone was.

The large leather chair allowed me comfort and a complete view of the room. Each wall was lined with books, both medical and recreational. However, a single frame stood out among the texts. A beautiful woman, her smile not unlike Tohru's, her pose radiating happiness. Kana Sohma, Hatori's assisstant. I'd only seen her a few times, since she came about a month before I was forced to leave. As I swirled the chocolate goodness around my Tongue, I wondered why her picture was in Hatori's study, and where she was now. Sighing, I stroked the face lightly, she seemed so happy. It took me a moment to realise I had spoken out loud, but I was startled to hear a reply.

"She was happy there" I spun round to see Hatori standing watching me with those dark eyes.

"How long?" I asked, biting my lip, afraid he would be mad at me.

"A few minutes" He strode forward, dumping the medical bag on his desk before turning to me. His hand reached upwards and I flinched, until he caught my lip with his thumb and pulled it away from my teeth.

"You'll damage your skin" He said shortly as a blush raced to my cheeks. The move was so gentle and tender, had I been living a few hundred years earlier I would have swooned. Suddenly as he came closer, my hand clasped against his jacket.

"Dont take away my memories again, please" I was pleading with him, and tears filled my eyes. He couldn't do it again, if he did I wouldn't have anyone. Sobs crept their way up my throat and my shoulders shook. No matter how much it hurt, losing them, my mum and dad, nothing would compare to being alone again. To feeling isolated in a crowded room.

I clung to him, my chest convulsing so quickly I couldn't breathe.

"I promise, Rika, I won't take them away" He said, his eyes falling onto the picture across from us. A sudden dawn of realization fell on me and I clasped my fingers around his. He loved her and still he was alone. Akito would have hell to pay if I had the power to face him.

"Akito will make you, won't he?" I said slowly, and Hatori pulled from me.

"Time to drop you home" He said and pulling away, he walked off. An hour later, and after a quick check up, I was sitting outside of Shigures house, my hands enclosed around my dirty clothes from the weekend at the lake house. As I prepared to get out, Hatori saying my name stopped me.

"Yes?" I was fit to fall back into my bed, but I forced myself to stay awake for the whole car journey.

"Us Zodiacs may be under the Gods control, but you are not. No matter what we may try to do to get you back to the main house, you have to resist at all costs. Promise me you will stay away from there and..."

I nodded at him, my heart swelling with admiration as he struggled with his words. But deep down, I knew eventually I would have to stop being a coward, and face my demons, or rather my God...


	16. Chapter 16

Rika was barely in the door when she remembered something. Everyone else was at school, leaving her alone with-

"Rika!!! How are you feeling butterfly?" Shigure bounded out of his office being followed by his sobbing editor who held something that looked suspiciously like a noose in her fingers. Rika wondered how far Hatori had gone and would she be able to catch him on foot, running very very fast.

"I'm okay, but I think I'll have a lie down ya know!" Yawning and stretching she escaped the older man and sprinted up the stairs to her room. Sitting on her bed, she finally had the chance to process everything. Kyo had been her childhood friend, and ultimately the reason she had had to leave the Sohma compound.

Kisa was her charge, her little sister technically, her cousin if you wanted to be factual. Her life's aim was to protect the Sohma secret and Kisa too. Oh how she wished she had been able to do that, without all the hurt. Her eyes fell upon the stacked boxes, nearly nine all in a single high pile beside her wardrobe.

They were each labelled individually. Photo's, Rika Baby and growing up, antiques, Takuto, Kimmi, Ware, Clothing, medical files and books. The majority had been packed by Takuto, but Rika had to do the box labelled after her father. Hatori had silently written the name on it after the pen had fallen from her trembling fingers a fifth time.

She needed to sort them again, keep what she'd want for life, discard the rest, but it was still too hard. She knew she had so much pent up frustration building, it had to released. Ripping open her own box, she changed into the white uniform, completing it with a black belt. Silently she slipped into the woods outside, and wrapping her hands before hand, punched and kicked until she fell against the rough bark in weariness.

A half hour or so later she was still there when voices could be heard on the path.

"Stupid Cat, it was all your fault we got in trouble today" She rolled her eyes, they were fighting......again. Slowly she stood, walking to the main path to wait for them.

"Please don't blame Kyo, he didn't mean it Yuki....no don't fight" Tohrus voice called out the same time that they turned the corner and Kyo lunged for Yuki yelling, "Damn Rat, Shut up"

With a single fluid move Yuki had floored Kyo and was continuing on his way.

"God Dammnit, get back here you...." She stepped into Kyo's line of view rendering him speechless. His jaw opened and closed and he looked more like a fish than an angry cat.

"You suck" Her bluntness removed the shock from the situation and Kyo jumped to his feet the same time Yuki and Tohru asked me how she was doing.

"A lot better, I'll be at school tomorrow with you guys" She smiled at them, and for once it wasn't forced. Kyo had just grasped what she'd said to him and pulled her back beside him as the others walked on.

"What do you mean I suck" His harsh voice was countered by the soft look he was giving her.

"I mean you suck, your balance is off and your tackle was terrible" Kyo and she had trained together, it was only proper that she pointed out his mistakes. He gave her a bitter smile then a real one.

"You remember?" She nodded and with this he embraced her tightly in his arms. She grinned back at him not taking her eyes from his. As he moved in to kiss her, she pulled back leaving him confused looking.

"Lets just go home okay?" She smiled and he followed, totally stumped.

--

Rika curled up on her cushion, head buried in a book and body pulled flush against Kyo's sleeping form. Insomnia had gripped her since leaving the estate, not that she was really bothered. In truth, the time she spent awake allowed her time to think. She knew she would have to confront Akito soon, but what she would say to the Sohma head still evaded her. She heard a low moan from beside her, and she shifted her head to the side.

Her favourite red head had his head tilted backwards as another grunt escaped his lips. He turned suddenly, so a hand lay over her chest, sending a low thrumming feeling alight in her stomach.

"Ahhhh!" He cried in his sleep, and a flush crept over her cheeks. Just what was he dreaming about??!! Slowly, she tried to manoeuvre her way out of his grip but when it didn't work she decided to wake him.

"Kyo….Kyo...time to wake up!" She pinched his cheek to receive a yelp as the boy jumped upwards.

"Whaddya do ya damn…..oh…Rika!" His face flushed as he remembered his dream, and awkwardly he lowered his raised hands, releasing them from their fisted position.

"Sorry I nodded off" He rubbed the back of his head and she smiled up at him, curious to see what he'd say. Instead he sat back down, wrapping his arm around her gently. She rested her head against his shoulder, returning to her book, enjoying the comfort of his proximity as much as he enjoyed hers.

--

"KYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" A booming voice echoed through out the house the following morning and Shigure who was sitting in his study promptly burst into tears. Kyo who in his sleep had once again rolled onto Rika, now jumped off of her and fled to the nearest exit, which happened to be the window. Rika watched in amusement as he vaulted out the open slider door as the bedroom door slid open.

"Kyoooooo….are you heeeeeeeeerrrrrreeeeeee??" A brown haired girl, perhaps in her late teens, early twenties bust into the room, to have her beaming smile fade at the sight of Rika stop her. She gasps, her liquid earth eyes widening and immediately Rika found her slender form being crushed under the larger girl.

"Rika! OHMYGOSH!!!!!!"

"Ka…gu…ra…can't…breathe!!" Rika rasped out, her lungs compressed by the heavy body on top of her.

"Little Sister you really are okay!! As soon as I heard you were back in the city, I ordered Hatori to drive me right over!" Rika felt her face turning redder as she struggled to breathe. With a gasp she felt the body being removed and Kyo stood holding the scruff of Kagura's shirt.

"Damn woman! You're suffocating her!" His frown was back and his face stressed. In the blink of an eye, simultaneous things happened. Kagura has twisted out of the cats grip and with a mighty jump had sent him through the screen beside the open door, Shigure had started to scream with an almighty howl, that seemed to be along the lines of 'MY BEAUTIFUL HOUSE!!!!!' and Rika had locked eyes with Hatori who was ascending the stairs, only to find herself blushing at her obvious disarray.

Two hours later as Kagura and Tohru mended the broken door, Rika tended to a bloodied Kyo and Yuki, Shigure, Hatori and Haru (who mysteriously turned up and proceeded to help in Kagura's aim to maul Kyo) chatted on the porch, peace decended on the hpuse once more.

The couple were hiding out in Tohrus room, and gently Rika fixed the last bandage around Kyo's left arm.

"Kyo, I think we need to talk about something" Rika's voice wavered a little and concerned red brown eyes studied her.

"What is it?"

"I don't think we should be dating….it's really obvious that, well, it's Kagura you love" She watched his face contort into a mixture of emotions.

"Damn woman won't leave me alone, ever, and I should be with her? What's up with you Ri?" He spat each word with a fake venom clearing all doubts Rika had that maybe he didn't feel that way about the boar. He was just to stubborn to admit he did care for her.

"Kyo, its my final decision, I've been thinking a lot these last few days, and I've realised that while I love you, its not the love of a partner, it's a more familial love….and if I want to continue being here for you, I know something else…………… I have to see Akito."


	17. Chapter 17

My heart was hammering in my chest, and I feared that if I so much as spoke, I'd probably throw up all over dash board of Hatori's car. Said Doctor was sitting sullenly beside me, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tight it looked as though his knuckles would burst through his skin.

I took an unsteady breath and instantly one of my hands was enveloped in the coolness of Hatori's.

"Rika, you don't have to this. We won't think less of you if you tell me to bring you back to Shigures right now. In fact I'd admire your courage to not face Akito"

"I wouldn't" I gritted my voice through my teeth as the Sohma Estate loomed upon us. Holy crap…..I was gonna barf…wait….feeling passed. My legs felt like lead as I exited the safety of the green vehicle and I unsteadily made my way to the main house.

Somehow, I made it to the room where the shadow of the God could be spied through the screen. Then, in a long minute I was placed upon a wooden floor and I bowed my entire body, blonde locks sweeping about my face in an almost protective way. Pfft, as if hair could be my shield?!

I hid the nervous giggle as I banished the thought. Hatori's firm stance was beside me and from the corner of my eye I saw his hands trembling slightly. He'd fought tooth and nail for me to recant my decision when I'd rang the night before, but when it became apparent that I wasn't about to relent he accepted.

"Hatori, leave" The cold voice made my heart stammer and I forced myself not to recoil and grab onto the Dragon as he hesitantly exited the room. Lithe footsteps crossed the timbers, barely a creak as my tormentor came to a stop in front of my bowed head.

"Well, well, well, Rika Hayashi, banished by me returns an orphan and most troubling, with the memories I'd ordered to be destroyed. What have you to say for yourself girl?" When I hesitated I felt my head being tugged upwards and it was as though he wished to rip the hair from my head, strand by strand.

"ANSWER ME!!!" His violet eyes were furious as they bore into mine and I heard the catch of breath in my throat as he slapped me.

"I'm sorry Akito….It wasn't a planned event for me to return and regain what you so cold heartedly took" The defiance in my tone was minimal but it was enough for him to act. With a lurch, he flung me across the room, the surprise I felt at his strength enough to stun my lowered body.

With a deafening crash I slid into the statue at the head of the room, my head smashing into the corner of its base mere millimetres from my left eye. I gasped at the burning sensation in my head and the hot flow of blood that spurted from my gash.

"Stupid, insolent brat!! You should have died along with your slut of a mother!!!" A low thump echoed around the room as his bare foot collided with my rib cage, and more pain erupted in my chest cavity as a second well aimed kick connected also.

"My mother was not a slut!" I glared at him as best I could, placing one hand on he floor to steady myself before attempting to rise. I was stopped as the foot crashed into my arm, and heard rather than felt the horrifying loud snap of the bone.

"You will not steal my Zodiac! They will not follow you! I am the God, no matter what blood runs through your veins; it does not match mine regardless of your parentage!!!" His screeching voice raised a few decibels as he continued his onslaught of abuse to my body, only making contact with my legs as I curled into a ball.

"You are a monster, a pitiful excuse for a human" The words barely left my mouth as the pain and blood loss was making me so dizzy I could just about make out the feet of Akito in front of me. I groaned as I was seized by my hair again and my body lifted from the ground. Just how did a sickly young man even have such strength?

"You will not take my Zodiac" The words seemed distant to me, as wave upon wave of darkness started to flow over me. I didn't have the energy to even keep my eyes open, and the sticky metallic taste of my blood was on my lips. I thudded to the floor as he released me then slowly was swallowed by the darkness.

--

"Rika!! Rika wake up!" A voice invaded my fitful slumber, and I gasped awake the movement cracking the dried blood on my face. Two sets of socked feet rushed toward me. But as one lifted me from the floor I slipped again.

A/N: And as a major suck up from totally being missing for ages, heres a double update!!! Cyber cookies for reviewers! 5 reviews and I'll definately have the next chapter up next week! ^__^


	18. Chapter 18

Hatori sat beside the old metal cot that adorned the only private room in his home clinic. His hands were clasped together in a tight knot, and his face was pale save for the dark bluish tint that lay under his eyes. A lone cigarette hung from his lips as he observed the sleeping girl beside him. Her blonde hair hung about her face, reminding him of the first time Akito had put her in a bed similar to the one she lay in now.

Not unlike the previous time, she had a purple bruise on her cheek, except now, her head was strapped covering the twelve stitches that he'd painstakingly given her. Her right arm was in a plaster cast which was wrapped with a green cloth, the colour he knew was her favourite. With embarrassment he'd strapped her ribs, since he'd forgone a nurse's aid since Kana.

She had been out cold for almost three days, and he only left the room to use the bathroom and eat once. He knew he was being a coward, but he had been refusing all phone calls from Shigures'. And he had also refused to see Akito, for fear he'd kill the God himself.

Hatsuharu had gone black when they'd found Rika, trashing up his room and the majority of Hatori's house also. Not that Hatori was angry with him for it, he was too mature to be so reckless, but he'd come pretty close. Momiji was moping around the clinic, trying to coax Hatori from the room, to let someone else watch over her, but each time he had an excuse. The drip needed to be changed; he had to replace her bandages, the stitches needed to be cleaned.

In short, the stubborn dragon would murder someone if he so much as had to leave his patient without his own personal protection. With a sigh he spilled the ash into the plastic tub on the bedside table, and put out the lighted stub. He dropped his elbows onto her blanket and watched it rise and fall with her slow steady breaths.

The movement lulled him, his eyes drooping the slightest bit. He didn't know what it was about the seventeen year old girl in front of him, but she soothed him by just being in his presence. She was so different to Kana, long blonde hair, those strange amber eyes, inherited from her grandmother. As soon as he thought of Kana, an odd feeling overtook him.

"Rika, you have to get better. Not just for Kyo, Kisa and everyone else, but for me…I know there's little chance you can hear me, but I think because of that I find it so easy to speak to you. You aren't the scared little girl of all those years ago, the one who so easily wormed her way into my affections….." He paused, chewing on his lip, the very habit he'd spent so long scolding her for.

"No…..you are most certainly not a little girl…" His eyes drifted over her form and he quickly averted them, muttering more to himself "And I brand Shigure the perverted one….but Rika, I have not cared for someone as much since Kana, and I can't lose you…not now, or ever. Please Rika….I care for you…and not entirely in the way I should, but I can't lose somebody I love again….I can't…"

His voice was broken by a quiet sob, and he pulled his hand from Rika's as he stood, moving to the window to wipe his eyes. Had he looked back at the rustling of sheets as she turned to her side on the cot, he would've seen the steady flow of tears seeping into her pillow and the fist she curled into her mouth to stop her sobs.

A/N: Ah a too short chapter, but I felt if there was too much more I'd destroy the atmosphere! *Pensive face* Now, onto the next chapter! Which will be soon! No more disappearing off the face of the earth! Promise!! So, cyber daffodils for all my reviewers!! And I'd like at least 5 before I update! But is it asking too much hmmm?? Go on, clicky the purple button!!


	19. Chapter 19

My head throbbed, and every pulse of blood in my arm sent a funny sensation through my bones. I'd been feigning sleep for a few days, and this had kept the majority of my visitors away. The only few that had seen me in this condition were Hatori, Haru, Yuki and Momiji.

Kyo wasn't speaking to me after I'd constantly refused him access in. It was mainly because I was afraid of what he'd do once he left. Hatori stood over me now, gentle cool fingers sweeping my hair away as he snipped away the stitches.

"I'm afraid that I cannot do much about scarring, but I've done the best I can to leave as little a mark as possible" His quiet voice was soothing to my head ache, and I smiled up at him.

"I'm sure what you've do is quite perfect" He gave me a little smile, and wiped away the tear from my cheek that was caused by the stinging of the stitches being cut. A pale blush worked its way across my cheeks and I instantly busied myself with plumping up my pillow using my moveable hand.

"Knock knock!" I looked up to see Yuki at the door, fresh flowers in his grip. Hatori quickly excused himself living me with the polite rat.

"How are you feeling today Miss Hayashi??" I gave him a look.

"Surely we are past the formalities Yuki? Now that I remember everything, including that room…" I propped my body against the crisp white pillow, as he busied his hands by putting the flowers into the vase and filling them with water from my private bathroom.

"If you wouldn't mind Rika, those are memories I do not wish to talk about. And, these flowers are from Tohru, Shigure and I. This is from Kyo" He placed a wrapped box on my blankets and proceeded to sit on the chair nearest me. I fingered the delicate ribbon gently.

"Is he very angry?"

"That silly cat is always angry, but yes, he has been very agitated lately. I think only because he can't meet you right now it frustrates him. But Kagura has been good company for him, truth be told, they seem to more united as of this moment than ever before" I smiled a bit at his observations; at least some happiness came from my confrontation with Akito.

The thought of his name sent a shiver down my spine, and a cold sweat broke out on my skin. But the most puzzling of all was the effort I was putting into to remember what he said. What had my blood to do with him? I was only Sohma by my mother, it didn't make any sense.

But even more baffling was my old position. Only the Zodiacs and their direct families ever lived in the compound. Why had I the status to be there along with my parents?

"Rika? Are you feeling ill??" Yuki bent his head to mine and I tried to smile. I was a little stupid to be thinking of such things around Yuki, he had probably noticed the drainage of colour from my face.

"Ah, no I'm fine, just the way I breathed, strained something….Hatori said I can returns to school next week, if I make good recovery progress"

"That's marvellous; Misses Uotani and Hanajima have been very worried about you. What are you going to tell them?" I had been thinking about that and I gave him my plan.

"Say I went to visit my grandmothers grave at the local cemetery, I was there once with Tohru, and that I slipped on the steps, hence the scar and the broken arm, as for the ribs, well once they are strapped I can hide them efficiently enough" He nodded, telling me that he thought it was a good cover and could very well have happened.

We both fell silent and I stared out at the torrents of rain pouring down outside. Kyo must be suffering I said eventually, indicating the Monsoons outside.

"Cats and rain, as bad as Shigure when he needs his shots" Hatori's voice came from the doorway, and my heart sped up slightly at the gentle smile on his lips. Yuki and I looked at each other, shocked.

"Did Hatori just...?" Yuki asked.

"…I think he did" I replied, and we both burst out laughing at the scowl enveloping the Dragons face at our amazement.

He sat in the other free chair, and was quickly followed by a quiet Haru, who gave Yuki a sultry smirk that had me blushing and shaking my head.

"Boys" I muttered, and the three of them laughed together. I huffed and turned over on my pillow, taking Kyo's present with me. I broke the untidy wrapping easily; Kyo could never wrap presents properly, and opened the little powder blue box.

Inside sat a chain with the Ying sign, and a small note.

iHey Ri,

`Just so ya know, I took the yang side, cuz you should be aware, that's what we are, two sides of the same person, brother and sister eh? I want ya out of that hospital soon, understand? You still have to train me to beat Yuki, Miss Black belt! (I saw those trophies!!)

Talk soon right?

Love ya, Kyo. /i

I pulled the necklace from the box, and with help from Haru soon the little charm hung from my neck. Where it would stay so long as I lived, as a sign of everything Kyo and I had been through, and what lay ahead for the rest of our hopefully long lives. As brother and sister, the cat and the orphan.


	20. Chapter 20

Kyo was like a child at Christmas, literally bouncing of the walls of Shigures house. Kagura had to calm him down, just in case he actually broke something, and she'd caused enough damage in the old dogs' house in recent weeks. The five people waiting heard the crunch of gravel as the car arrived, hopefully with Rika in tow. She had left the house the night before with Hatori, who wanted to give her a full check up before he removed the cast that had been on her arm for the preceding six weeks.

He opened the door, only to be almost knocked off his feet with surprise. Rika was indeed there, with her arm cast free, but bandaged a white cloth, and Hatori stood with her, obviously after helping her from the car. But there was a third person, his dark hair lined with sliver and his body covered with an equally silver yukata.

"Master??" Kyo gasped out, and then he bowed.

"Ah Kazuma! Are you here for a visit?" Shigure asked and Tohru took off mumbling something along the lines of beds and dinner. Rika shook her head and made her way to the house, calling out to the two men beside the car.

"C'mon you two, it's about to rain again, and you don't wanna get soaked" They followed her in and Kyo, breaking from his shock, instantly started swapping tales with the older man, his adopted father.

Later that night, with two extra futons set up in the Rika's room, and her stuff moved to Tohrus', the happy and full group began to disperse as the rain beat a constant tempo outside. The girls moved to tidy up in the kitchen, Yuki and the rest of the men sat themselves around the room and began to talk amongst themselves.

"So, Rika how is your arm?" Kagura was putting away the dishes that Rika handed to her after Tohru had washed them. The blonde gave her a cup that she'd just dried as she answered.

"The bone is pretty much healed, Hatori is just being overly cautious as usual. Silly man won't believe that I feel fine, I felt warm last night and he instantly decided I had a fever, that's why he made me stay at his house. Although, Momiji kept me company so it wasn't too bad" The unspoken fact that Akito was ill again hung between them. Tohru, who had been listening, frowned.

"Are you still having those bad dreams then?" The ditsy brunette gave Rika a gentle squeeze of her arm when she nodded.

"Don't worry little sister; I'm sure that they'll stop soon enough. You haven't shouted out in over a week, they must be fading away" Rika grinned at the older girl and her self appointed title for the blonde.

"I know, thanks guys, you really are great friends!" She was enveloped in two tremendous hugs, and laughing had to push the two away from her.

"That's enough soppiness!!"

--

Rika's hand shook slightly as she knocked on the door to her room, and at an acknowledgement of her presence was asked to enter. She knew Kazuma was the only one in the room and she quickly bowed to her old master.

"Rika, is everything well?" Kazuma said once he knew it was her.

"I have a question master, if you don't mind" He indicated her to take a seat on the other futon in the room, Hatori's, but she declined remaining standing. With a hesitant breath, she looked him in the eye.

"Why are you here? Really?"

"Such a bright girl, I never could fool you could I?" She kept quiet, her hands formed into fists.

"Well, I believe that it is time Rika, for this girl to be tested. To see if she really is the one who can aid in breaking the Zodiac curse"

"You are working for Akito aren't you?" She spat out the accusation as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She could only hope what he was planning was not what she thought of.

"I'm afraid, yes, not everyone can deny the God's orders. It's a wonder you have such a strong heart and mind, although, it is possibly to do with your parentage too" She blanched at his words, the harsh words at her lips dying away.

"What is everyone's obsession with my parents? My mother wasn't a Zodiac, and my father wasn't Sohma! It doesn't make sense" He sighed, the girl had much to do and in a short time. Otherwise, the cycle would never end.

"On the contrary child, your father was Sohma, now if you don't mind, please leave, I'm tired and need to prepare for tomorrow" Stunned she walked to the door once again, but paused as she shut it.

"He'll hate you if you do this" Her voice was low, but she was sure he had heard her. The pain in his reply was evident.

"I know" She turned away from the screen, and managed to make it to the balcony in Tohrus room before her bewilderment caught up with her. What on earth did he mean about her father being Sohma? Nothing was making sense to her any longer.

Her legs gave out and she fell to the moisture ridden wood, the rain soaking through her light summer dress and plastering her hair to her hand covered face. Did he mean that Takuto wasn't her real father? But if that was true……who was??


	21. Chapter 21

This was surreal, first Master shows up at Hatori's looking to visit Kyo, then he tells me he wants to test Tohru, and most horrid of all; He told me that my father wasn't Takuto Hayashi, but a Sohma.

I sat at the desk in my room, a notebook in front of me jotted with names. Yuki and Ayame's father, Hatori's father (I had happily crossed this one off when I realised he had been ill for years before my birth, and bedridden around the time I was possibly conceived. Plus, being related to Hatori gave me a very uneasy feeling in my gut.)

I had added Haru and Momiji's fathers, Kisa's, and regrettably Hiro's, then Kyo's and finally Kagura's. As a last resort I scribbled in Akira Sohma, but that was not a notion I'd even entertain; being a half sister with Akito of all people! As if!

I'd narrowed it down to some possibilities, Momiji, Kisa, Hiro and Kagura, as the others didn't seem too likely, due to either death, age and other circumstances. But, I was scared too, what would I do when I figured it out?

Walk up to the man and say hey, can I have a DNA sample because you might be my real dad, or how about you tell me if you ever slept with my mother? I'd most definitely be branded a marriage wrecker, and possibly kicked out of the Sohma family entirely. I dropped my head to the desk dismally; I'd never be able to figure this thing out without help. And I was too ashamed by the fact my mother might have actually had an affair with a married man to ask for help.

"Rika, butterfly, are you feeling unwell?" I snapped my head up to see Shigure staring at me from the doorway.

"Kazuma, he…?" As soon as I had asked the question, a feral snarl ripped through the house. My heart shuddered to a stop and I almost flew to the window. I stepped onto the balcony to be met with a rancid smell and upon leaning over the railing I saw the black and white beads lying on the muddy ground.

I swept through the house, past Kagura who tried to stop me by telling me Kyo knew I accepted him no matter what. I made her falter as I snapped back that he didn't know anyone else did and that could cause him to unwillingly lash out. Kazuma stood under the porch, and was looking as calm as ever.

"You idiot!! What have you done?? You didn't think this through at all did you!!?" I shouted at him as the tears welled in my eyes. Just imaging what could go wrong made me sick to the stomach. Kyo would lose one of his closest friends, Yuki would lose the girl he loved, and every other Sohma was going to lose their hope for a better, curse free future.

I had to stop this, if Tohru rejected our family, she still had the right to keep her memories unless she begged for them to be taken from her. Hatori, I needed to see him. With a lurch I ran into the rain, my sneakers beating off the puddles that formed from the rain.

In less than five minutes my light shirt and shirt were soaked through, and my white knee highs splattered with mud. My chest burned as the air ripped in my lungs, and my legs ached slightly. This was like training in the mountains with Sensei Roku of Okinawa, but much more real.

It usually took fifteen to twenty minutes when travelling by car, after thirty I was gasping for breath on Hatori's porch, my heart about to collapse when I realised his car was missing. Then with a wet screech, he drove past me and into his usual spot.

"Rika? What's going on? Why are you here alone?" I was too out of breath to speak and even more stunned when Akito and Kureno joined us on the porch. The black hearted God turned his nose up at my presence, looking at though he would like nothing more to have me killed on the spot.

"Pathetic girl, in case you misunderstood, you aren't any more welcome here than the cat!" I growled, bringing myself to my full height and squaring my shoulders.

"You evil, conceited, selfish bas-"

"Rika, Akito that is enough! The two of you are like siblings arguing over a toy! Obviously there are much more pressing matters here, Kureno, take the umbrella and bring Akito home, she'll catch a cold. Rika go borrow something to wear from Hatsuharu, and then we'll talk" My face reddened as Akito's went snow white at the accusations, and with a scowl I stomped off to Haru's room.

A few minutes later, I stepped into Hatori's study wearing a too big pair of sweat pants and a baggy shirt under an even baggier hooded jumper. The Doctor was waiting, leaning against his desk with a large towel in his hands. Without saying anything he beckoned me to him, and proceeded to wrap it around my head and sweep my soaked hair into it.

"What's happening?" He spoke clearly, but the sound was muffled be the cotton over my ears.

"Kyo's spirit has been unleashed, I'm afraid that Tohru will leave us…Hatori, please…don't take her memories away! I'm begging you! Please…" My words were cut off by the droves of tears that ran from my eyes and the massive lump in my throat. This was so unlike me, crying so much in such a short space of time, but it only got worse.

Hatori slipped the towel around my shoulders, bundling me into his arms making soft hushing noises. Suddenly, I wasn't just talking about Tohru and Kyo, I was pouring everything that I'd locked inside for months; about my parents, my family, my isolation and every pent up frustration in my heart.

Somewhere in the course of my tears, Hatori had moved us to his chair and with a lot of effort I hid my shock that I was now sitting on his lap. With a sniffle I glanced up at his face, ignoring the embarrassing patch of salty wetness on his shirt. I covered my eyes with my hand and chewed gently on my lip.

And, as if our situation couldn't have gotten worse, a most unwelcome blush was creeping its way over my cheeks. I'd never noticed how soft his hands were before as he tended to me, or their constant coolness. I remembered him telling me as a child, that the reason for that was because he had the job of removing people's most sacred things, their memories.

I could feel my heart thudding in my ears as he stared down at me, his face contorted in a mix between agony and want, his hair covering the damage that Akito had once again left in his wake. My fingers trembling I swept back the longer section of his hair causing him to stiffen in his seat, somehow realising what I was so hesitantly about to do. And swallowing my nervousness, I kissed him.

--

There's no dignity in being outwardly rejected, and it's even worse when you need the person who stopped the kiss to drop you home. The entire journey was filled with the worst awkward silence I'd ever been in. When I got to Shigures he tried to say something, but I slammed the door in response. Childish, and in the long run damaging to what I'd tried to achieve in initiating a kiss with him, but oh so satisfactory when feeling as an angry as I did.

I slipped into the house clutching the beads that I'd snatched from Kazuma's grasp on my way in, and with a sinking feeling went to bed. Kagura joined me in waiting, not commenting on the fact Yuki was now missing too, instead wrapping her arm around me, too intelligent to remark on my bare faced shame, and the hurt tears that were once again cascading down my cheeks.


End file.
